Mastering Website Redesign Part 8: The Essential Pre-Launch Testing Checklist

As we approach the final stretch of our journey through the website redesign process, it's crucial not to overlook testing as a vital step before unveiling your new site to the world. I'm Dave Baldwin from PlusCode Website Design, and in this installment, we'll cover the comprehensive testing phase that ensures your website is not just visually appealing but also fully functional and user-friendly. Let's dive into the essential tests every website must undergo before going live.

1. Test Everything:
Begin with a broad approach. Visit each page. Ensure every element on your website works as intended. This includes navigation menus, interactive elements, and dynamic features. A thorough review now can save you from potential headaches after launch.

2. Contact Forms:
Your contact form is a crucial bridge between you and your potential customers. Test every form on your site to confirm they're capturing and sending information correctly. Check for user-friendly error messages and confirmations upon submission.

3. Links and 404 Pages:
Broken links can frustrate users and harm your SEO efforts. Manually check links on your site to ensure they lead where they're supposed to. Additionally, customize your 404 error page to guide visitors back to relevant sections of your site if they encounter a dead end. You can use a website like arefs to search your website for broken links. 

4. Desktop and Mobile Compatibility:
With a significant portion of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, your site must perform flawlessly across all platforms. Test your website on various devices and browsers to ensure the layout, images, and text appear correctly and that the site is easy to navigate on a smaller screen.

5. Speed Test:
Website speed is a critical factor in user experience and search engine ranking. Utilize tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to analyze your site's loading times and identify any issues that could be slowing it down. Remember, faster is always better when it comes to website performance. Try Google PageSpeed Insights to help you with your website speed.

6. SEO and Meta Data:
Check that all pages have proper SEO meta tags (title tags, meta descriptions) and that your site structure is optimized for search engines (use of headings, sitemaps, structured data). I use a chrome extension named “All in One SEO Analyzer by AIOSEO”

7. Content and Spelling:
Review all website content for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Ensure all images have alt text, and videos have captions or transcripts where necessary. I use a chrome extension called “Spell Check”

Testing your website before it goes live is an important step in the redesign process. It ensures that your visitors will enjoy a seamless and engaging experience from their very first click. By rigorously applying this pre-launch testing checklist, you can confidently launch a site that not only looks great but also performs to the highest standards.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the thought of testing your redesigned website, PlusCode Website Design is here to help. Our team has the tools and expertise to thoroughly test your site, ensuring it's ready to make a stellar first impression. Contact us todayto get your site across the finish line with confidence.